Multicylinder internal-combustion engine.



R. H. WHITE. MULTICYILINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. 7

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I0- 1916.

1,285,861. Patented Nov. 26,1918;

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. H. WHITE.

MULTICYLINDER INIERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED mmo, 1916.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Mira/6 6 for} 1 MHCAQ W R. H. WHITE.

Patented Nov; 26,1918.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

2 I w e 6 W4 MULTICYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

7 APPLICATION FILED IAN. I0. I916. 1,285,861. i v

APPLICKTION FILED IAN-10.19M-

- Patented Nov. 26, 1918;.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

lllll UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

noun: :1. WHITE, or CLEVELAND, onro.

MULTICYLINDER INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

cially adapted for use on aeroplanes. The

invention is shown embodied in a 16-cylin-' der engine, whereof thecylinders are so arranged with respect to a single one-plane four-throwcrank shaft that the engines will occupy relatively small space, thatthe cylinders will not make the en ine top-heavy, and that the explosiveimpu ses will be delivered in various directions to the crank shaft andat regular intervals of of the revolution of said crank shaft.

These and other desirable characteristics are attained by theconstruction shown in the drawing and hereinafter describedranddefinitely pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation partly sectioned with thefront cylinder in the B .row shown in vertical section, with the frontcylinder in the A row partly sectioned, and with the engine casingpartly sectioned. Fig. 2 is a central lon itudinal vertical section ofthe engine, t e crank shaft being shown in a different position to thatshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section through one of the crankpins of .the

engine showing the parts associated there-' with, Fig. 4 is a top viewof twocylinders of the B-row of cylinders, one of said cylinders beingsectioned below the piston therein; Fig.5 is an elevation of one of thecam shafts; Fig. -6 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the camshaft R, showing a part of the cam shaft, four cams thereon,

- and theparts which are associated with and are operated by said cams;Fig. 7 is a view from the left end of Fig. 6 showing one yokeSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 26%18,

Application filed. January 10, 1916. Serial No. 71,206.

and the operating cams therefor. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the 16cylinders and, the one plane four throw crank shaft.

This diagram is primarily intended to facilitate the explanation as tohow t e one plane four throw crank shaft comes to receive an explosiveimpulse at everyeighth of a revolution, 2'. 6-, at angular intervals of45 of the revolution of the crank shaft, and what'order theexplosionsoccur in the several cylinders; andit also shows what particular enginecycle is being performed in each cylinder at the moment when the crankshaft is in the position indicated.

As above stated, the engine includes 16 cylinders. Each cylinder ofitself is of the ordinary four cycle variety, and is provided with avalve controlled inlet 10, a valve controlled outlet 12, a piston 13,and a connect ing rod [for connecting the piston with a crank pin on thecrank shaft. The cylinders are arranged in four angularly disposed lon-'gitudinal rows which are indicated .and will be hereinafter referred toas the A row, the B row, the C row and the D row. Each of these rowscontains four cylinders. All of the four cylinders in the A row havetheir axes in a plane which is radial to the crank shaft and extends tothe left downward below a horizontal plane (indicated by line WW inFig. 1) which is diametrical with respect to the crank shaft, at anangle of 22% thereto. All of the four cylinders of the D row have theiraxes in a radial plane which extends to the right and downward belowsaid diametrical plane at an angle of 22.5

radial planes which extend upward to the right and left respectively atangles of 67% tosaid horizontal plane. Therefore the angular distancebetween the planes ofthe A and D rows is-1 35; between the planes ofthe-B and C rows 45; and between the A and B rows on one side. and the Cand D rows on the other side, 90.

Preferably the cylinders are also arranged in four circumferential rowswhich are indicated on diagrammatic Fig. 8 by the nu- The cylinders ofthe B row and the C 'row respectively have their axes-in merals 1, 2, 3,4. One of these circumferential rows is shown in Fig. 1, The cylindersthemselves are indicated by obvious combi' nations of these letters andnumerals, for example, the cylinders in the A row, from front to rear,are indicated b the reference characters A, A, A, A; t ose in the B rowby B, B, B B, etc.

I The crank shaft K is a one plane four throw crank shaft, and it ismounted as usual in the crank case M. It has four crank pins, oneassociated with each circumferential row of cylinders; but two of thesecrank pins K, K, namely, the two associated with the front and rear, 2'.e., first and fourth, circumferential rows are in alinement with eachother. The other two crank pins K", K are also in alinement with eachother,

- and are in the same diametrical plane as the two crank pins firstmentioned, but are on the opposite side of the axis of .said crankshaft; and they are associated with the cylinders in the twointermediate, 71. 6., the second and third, circumferential rows. Thiscrank shaft is therefore a one plane four throw crank shaft. It is acrank shaft having its four crank pins in the same diametrical plane onopposite sides of the axis; that is meant by the expression herein used,viz one plane four throw crank shaft.

Associated with each of the four crank pins is a main connecting rod Ewhich is connected with the piston 13 in a cylinder of the A row. Thisconnecting rod is formed on its inner end with the usual yoke e and isassociated with a cap e,which yoke and cap when secured together,embrace and have bearing upon the associated crank pin. Connected with-each main connecting rod are three secondary connecting rods E whichare respectively connected with the three pistons in the cylinder in thesame circumferential row,one from each of the three longitudinal rows B,C, D. The secondary connecting rods E have transverse sleeves e on theirinner ends; and each sleeve lies between and is pivoted to a pair offlanges e on the cap 0 by pivot pins a which are parallel to the crankshaft.

The exhaustport .12 of each cylinder is in its outer end; and the inletport 10 of each cylinder is through its side near its outer end.Associated with each exhaust ort .is an exhaust valve F; and with eachinlet port is an inlet valve G. Said valves, which are of familiar form,are provided respectively with stems f and g, which are slidable endwisein the'usual guideways from which theouter ends of said valve stemsproject.

There are two cam shafts P, B. These are parallel with the crank shaftand they are mounted in suitable bearings in the crank cum, and'arelocated, respectively, one to the left and a little above the axis ofthe crank shaft and between the A and B rows of cylinders; while theother is located to the right of and .a little above the crank caseandbetween the C and D rows of cylinders.

Gears P, R, on these two cam shafts are respectively engaged by a gearon the crank shaft and thereby both cam shafts are driven by the crankshaft at half the speed thereof. The left cam shaft P controls themovement of the inlet and exhaust valves of the cylinders in the A and Brows, while the right cam shaft G in like manner controls the valvesassociated with the cylinders in the C and D rows.

In the construction shown the valves are not associated with springs forclosing them, as is a common construction, and as they might be ifdesired. They are positively opened and closed by mechanism which willbe briefly described herein, but which is made the subject of anotherapplication, Serial'No 71,205 filed Jan. 10, 1916. Each exhaust valvestem 7 has on its projecting outer end two collars 7, f between whichprojects the forked end of a valve rocker H which is pivoted to abracketh fixed to the associated cylinder. The outer end of this rockeris connected by a link 72. with a slide k which is slidably mounted inand projects through a sleeve J fixed to the crank case. Each of theinlet valve stems g is provided on its projecting outer end with twoflanges, g, .9 between whichprojects the.

in a hole in a fixed bracket 11?. in the crank case.

On each cam shaft are four roups of cams as shown in Fi 5, which s ows,for example, the cam sha t B. Each group contains eight cams, of whichtwo are for opening and closing the inlet valve of the cylinder in the Arow; two for opening and closing the exhaust valve of the-same cylinder;two for opening and closing the inlet valve, and two others for openingand closing the exhaust valve of that cylinder of the B row which is in.the same circumferential row the cylinder of the A row last referredto.-

In the specific construction shown the eight cams in the group of camsnear the The cams r, 1", are respectiirely for opening and closing theexhaust valve of the front cylinder in the row A, that is, the cyly arerespectively for closing and opening the inlet valve of the frontcylinder of the A row, while the two cams r r, are respec tively foropenmg and closing the inlet valves, of the front cylinder in the B row.

In Fig. 6 are shown twoof the yokes T, T, viz :those two yokes whichengage the cams r r, and r 1', respectively. All of these yokesaresubstantially alike and are as shown in Fig. 7.

In this figure it would appear. that the yoke which is associated withthe cams r 1', has a hole through it in which the cam r lies and thebottom wall of this hole is so constructed that said cam r may engage itand so draw the yoke in the valve closing direction. Each yoke carriesalso a friction roller t which overhangs the cam r and may be engagedthereby and may move the yoke in the valve opening direction;

The cams on the two cam shafts P and R are so placed that during twocomplete revolutions of the crank shaft the valves of the entire 16cylinders will be opened and closed in such sequence and at such timeswith respect to one another that charges will be compressed andsubsequently exploded in the cylinders in such wise as to impart to thecrank shaft an explosive rotary impulse at each 45 interval intherotation of said crank shaft.

In order that this may be clearly understood attention is called todiagrammatic view Fig. 8. In this figure lines A, B, G, D, representrespectively the radial planes which contain the axes ofthe cylinders inWhat has been termed the A, B, C, D, rows,

which lines intersect at the point marked K which represents the axis ofthe crank shaft.

The dotted arcual lines 1, 2, 3, 4, represent respectivel the verticaltransverse planes which contain the axes of the circumferential rows. ofcylinders. The circles having their centers at the intersection of theseradial and arcuallines represent the cylinders, and tlfese bearreference characters that 'identify'the cylinders; for example, the cylIn this diagram also is and k represent respectively the oppositelyextended arms of the one plane four throw crank shaft; that is to say,the arm k represents diagrammatically the arms which carry crank pins K,

spectively are reference characters which designate the tylinders whosepistons are connected with the crank pins with which those arms areassociated as above stated. If the crank shaft occupies the angularposition shown relative to the various longitudinal rows of cylinders,and is turning in the direction of the arrow K certain parts of the fourengine cycles are being carried on in the 16 cylinders, which cycleparts are as indicated by the notations adjacent the representations ofsaid cylinders. For ex ample, referring to the A row, the compressionstroke is nearly completed in the cylinder A, the exhaust stroke nearlycompleted in the cylinder A the suction and explosion strokes nearlycompleted in the cylinders A A respectively. The corresponding notationsalongside of the representations of the cylinders of the other threelongitudinal- For example, durin the first half revolution of the crankshaft from the position'shown in this diagram, the compression strokeswill be completed and explosions follow at regular intervals of 45 ofmovement of the crank shaft, in the cylinders A, D B

, and C, in the order stated, as indicated by the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4,adjacent the representation of said cylinder.

In the next half revolution of the crank shaft the compression strokeswill be similarly completed at regular 45 intervals in thecylinders A D-B C in the order named. During the next complete revolution of the crankshaft compression strokes will be completed in the other cylinders, at

- regular 45 intervals, and in the order indicated by the numerals 9 to16 inclusive. One may with this diagram easily trace out the above setforth sequential operation, andby so doing it will be noticed that theexplosive impulse which will immediately follow the completion of thecompression stroke in the cylinder A will be applied to the crank armthat, when the crank shaft has turned 45 and completed the compressionin the cylinder D the immediately following explosive impulse will beapplied to the crank arm is that when the crank shaft will have movedforward another 45 and the compression stroke will have been completedin the cylinder B, the immediately following explosive impulse will beapplied to the crank arm is, that when the crank shaft has moved forwardanother 45 and the compression stroke shall have been completed in thecylinder C, the immediately following explosive impulsive will beapplied to the crank arm is; that is to say, during this revolution theexplosive impulses will take place successively in the A, D, B and Crows, and the first, third and fourth of the resulting explosiveimpulses will be applied to the crank arm 70, while the second explosiveimpulse of this series will be applied to the crank arm 70. During thenext half revolution the first, third and fourth of the explosiveimpulses delivered from cylinders in the A, B and C rows will be appliedto the crank arm 70, while the second-of the explosive impulses of thisseries, delivered from a cylinder of the D row, will be applied to thecrank arm k.

From the foregoing it will be understood that while the cams on the twocam shafts may be constructed for each cylinder as has been described,they must be fixed to or formed upon the two cam shafts in such wise asto produce such sequential operation of the valves as will result in theabove described sequential carrying on in the several cylinders of thevarious engine cycles as above described.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of aone lane four throw crank shaft, a plurality 0 cylinders which aredisposed radially with respect to said crank shaft in four longitudinalrows and in four circumferential rows,- two of said longitudinal rows ofcylinders being extended to right and left respectively away from thecrank shaft and downward at the angle of 22119 to a horizontaldiametrical plane assing through the crank shaft, and the otiier twolongitudinal rows of said cylinders being extended to right and leftrespectively away from said crank shaft and upward at the angle of 674to said horizontal diametrical plane, pistons in said cylinders, andfour connecting rods operativel connected with each wrist pin of thecran shaft and with the pistons of the four cylinders in the associatedcircumferential rows of cylinders.

2. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of acrank shaft having a plurality of wrist ins, a plurality of cylinderswhich are disposed radially with respect to said crank shaft in fourlongitudinal rows and in four circumferential rows,two of saidlongitudinal rows of cylinders being extended to right and leftrespectively away from the crank necting rod connected with each wristpm of the crank shaft and with the piston of one of the downwardlyinclined cylinders in the associated circumferential rows of cylinders,and three supplemental connect ing rods which are respectively connectedwith the pistons of the other three cylinders of the samecircumferential row of cylinders and are pivotally connected with saidmain connecting rod.

3. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of acrank shaft havin a plurality of wrist pins, a plurality of cy inderswhich are disposed radially with respect to said crank shaft in fourlongitudinal rows and in as many circumferential rows as there are wristpins on said crank shaft,two of said longitudinal rows of,cylindersbeing extended to right and left respectively away from thecrank shaft and downward at the same angle to a horizontal diametricalplane passing throu h the crank shaft, and the other two longitudlnalrows of said cylindersbeing extended to right and left respectively awayfrom said crank shaft and upward at the same angle to said horizontaldiametrical plane, pistons in said cylinders, four connecting rodsoperatively connected with each wrist pin of the crank shaft and withthe pistons of the four cylinders in the associated circumferential rowsof cylinders, two cam shafts which are rotatable at half the speed ofthe crank shaft and are respectively associated the one with the twoleft hand longitudinal rows of cylinders and the other with the tworight hand longitudinal rows of cylinders, inlet and outlet valves forthe several cylinders, Valve operatin mechanisms therefor, cams on theleft han cam shaft which engage and operate the valve operatingmechanisms of the two lefthand longitudinal rows of cylinders, and camson the right hand cam shaft which engage and 0 erate the valve operatingmechanism of the two right hand longitudinal rows of cylinders.

4. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of acrank shaft havin a plurality of wrist pins, a plurality 0 cylinderswhich are dlsposed radially with respect to said crank shaft in fourlongitudinal rows and in as many circumferential rows as there are wristpins on said crank shaft,-two of said lon itudinal rows of cylindersbeing exten ed to right and left respectively away from the crank shaftand downward at the same with the pistons of the four cylinders intheassociated circumferential rows of cyI-.

inders, two cam shaft-s which are rotatable at half the speed of thecrank shaft and are respectively associated the one with the two lefthand longitudinal rows of cylinders and the other with the two righthand longitudinal rows of cylinders, inlet and outlet valves for theseveral cylinders, valve operating mechanisms therefor, cams on the lefthand cam shaft which engage and operate the valve operating mechanismsof the two left hand longitudinal rows of cylinders, and cams on theright hand cam shaft which engage and operate the valve operatingmechanism of the two right hand longitudinal rows of cylinders, saidcams being arranged on said two cam shafts to cause such sequentialoperation of all of the valves that the explosive charges will becompressed and may be exploded in definite order one cylinder from eachlongitudinal row of cylinders in sequence and at substantially regularintervals until the entire number of cylinders have been included.

5. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of aone plane four throw crank shaft, a plurality of cylinders which aredisposed radially with respect to said crank shaft in four longitudinalrows and in four circumferential rows,-

two of said longitudinal rows of cylinders being extended to right andleft respectively away from the crank shaft and downward at the sameangle to a horizontal diametrical plane passing through the crank shaft,

and the other two longitudinal rows of said cylinders being extended toright and left respectively away from said crank shaft and upward at thesame angle to said horizontal diametrical plane, pistons in saidcylinders, and four connecting rods operatively connected with eachwrist pin of the crank shaft and with the pistons of the four cylindersin the associatedcircumferential rows of cylinders, two cam shafts whichare roi tatable at half the speed of the crank shaft and arerespectively associated the one with the'two left hand longitudinal rowsof cylinders and the other with the two right hand longitudinal rows ofcylinders, inlet and outlet valves for the several cylinders,valveoperating mechanisms therefor, cams on the left hand cam shaftwhich engage and operate the valve operating mechanisms of the two left.hand longitudinal rows of cylinders, and cams on the right hand camshaft which engage and operate the valve operating mechanism of the tworight hand longitudinal rows of cylinders said cams being arranged onthe two cam shafts to operate the valves in such sequen tial order thatthe ignition of the compressed charges in the order of their compressionwill impart to the crank shaft eight substantially regularly spacedexplosive impulses durin each revolution thereof.

6. In a mu ti-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of aone plane four throw crank shaft, a plurality of cylinders which aredisposed radially with respect to said crank shaft in four longitudinalrows and in four circumferential rows, -two of said longitudinal rows ofcylinders being extended to right and-left respectively away from thecrank shaft and downward at the angle of 22% to a horizontal diametricalplane passing through the crank shaft, and the other two longitudinalrows'of said cylinders being extended to right and left respectivelyaway from said crank shaft and upward at the angle of 67% to said hori-'zontal diametrical plane, pistons in said cylinders, a main connectingrod operatively connected with each wrist pin of the cran shaft and withthe piston of one of the downwardly inclined cylinders in the associatedcircumferential rows of cylinders, three supplemental connecting rodswhich are respectively connected with the pistons of the othercylindersin the same circumferential row of cylinders, and are pivotallyconnected with the main connecting rod, two cam shafts which arerotatable at helf the speed of the crank shaft and are respectivelyassociated the one with the two left hand longitudinal rows of cylindersand the other with the two right hand longitudinal rows of cylinders,inlet and outlet valves for the several cylinders, valve operating,mechanisms therefor, cams on the left hand cam shaft which engage andoperate the valve operating mechanisms of the two left hand longitudinalrows of cylinders, and

cams on the right hand cam shaft which engage and operate the valveoperating mechanism of the twovright hand longitudinal rows ofcylinders.

7. In a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, the combination of aone plane four throw crank shaft, a plurality of cylinders which aredisposed radially with respect to said crank shaft in four longitudinalrows and in j four circumferential rows,said longitudinal rows 'ofcylinders beingv arranged respectively in four planes which are radialwith respect to the crank shaft and are so disposed that the angularintervals between them are 90, 45, 90

and 135 in the order stated, pistons in said cyhnders, and fourconnecting rods opential rows of cylinders, said longitudinal rows ofcylinders being dis osed in such angular relations to one anot er thatat each 45 of arcual movement of the crank shaft one of the crank armscomes into plane with the radial plane in which one row of cylin- 10ders lie, and valve operating mechanisms which operate thev inlet andexhaust valves of said cylinders to cause the completion of thecompression stroke of a cylinder in said row.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my 15 signature in the presenceof two witnesses. ROLLIN H. WHITE. Witnesses:

E. L. THURSTON, L. I. PORTER.

